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Ice #2
Cold as Ice
Return to the chilling atmosphere of RITA Award-winner Anne Stuart’s Black Ice with the highly anticipated sequel,
Cold As Ice
COLD AS ICE
The job was supposed to be dead easy—hand-deliver some legal papers to billionaire philanthropist Harry Van Dorn’s extravagant yacht, get his signature and be done. But lawyer Genevieve Spenser soon realizes she’s in the wrong place at the wrong time. As Van Dorn tries to make her his plaything, Genevieve must keep her wits if she intends to survive the night.
But there’s someone else on the ship who knows the true depths of Van Dorn’s evil. Peter Jensen is far more than the unassuming personal assistant he pretends to be—he’s a secret operative who will stop at nothing to ensure Harry’s deadly Rule of Seven terror campaign dies with him. But now he must decide whether to risk his mission to keep Genevieve alive or allow her to become collateral damage.
Titles originally published in 2006.
COLD AS ICE
The job was supposed to be dead easy—hand-deliver some legal papers to billionaire philanthropist Harry Van Dorn’s extravagant yacht, get his signature and be done. But lawyer Genevieve Spenser soon realizes she’s in the wrong place at the wrong time. As Van Dorn tries to make her his plaything, Genevieve must keep her wits if she intends to survive the night.
But there’s someone else on the ship who knows the true depths of Van Dorn’s evil. Peter Jensen is far more than the unassuming personal assistant he pretends to be—he’s a secret operative who will stop at nothing to ensure Harry’s deadly Rule of Seven terror campaign dies with him. But now he must decide whether to risk his mission to keep Genevieve alive or allow her to become collateral damage.
Titles originally published in 2006.
371 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2006
About the author
Anne Stuart
204 books2,037 followersAnne Stuart is a grandmaster of the genre, winner of Romance Writers of America's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, survivor of more than thirty-five years in the romance business, and still just keeps getting better.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 340 reviews
May 7, 2012
If Bastien Toussaint is like a bowie knife, brutally destructive, sharp and vicious, then Peter is a stiletto. They are both dangerous men, efficient weapons for the Committee. It's amazing how they could be so different, but still embody the ice cold, ruthless hero.
Peter starts out as a bland, gray ghost (as Genevieve calls him). He is deceptively mild-mannered in his role as assistant to billionaire philantropist Harry Van Dorn. Genevieve doesn't think much of him, except that he's annoyingly perceptive. However, that is an important tool in his arsenal: to be anywhere and everywhere, to blend in and do whatever it takes to get the job done.
On the second reread, it still took me a while to get a fix on Peter. He is so in the bland character that I underestimated him. Before I knew it, he had slipped under my skin. I can see why he drives Genevieve crazy. He is designed to be a woman's fatal flaw. I had to wonder how someone so bland could use sex as a weapon, but that was before he showed who he really was. The real man could probably seduce the panties off the most virtuous of nuns. The real man, well he's someone that is not to be underestimated.
Genevieve is a frustrating heroine. For a smart girl, she can make some stupid decisions. It's like she's almost all id. Her emotions seem to govern her intellect, which makes her an interesting counterpart to Peter, who analyzes and calculates every decision, until his well-buried heart makes its desires known. Still, his sharp mind maintains admirable control of the man.
Frankly, Black Ice is a hard act to follow. Bastien is so striking a ruthless hero, Peter throws you for a loop. However, that's good that he is so different. I found that although he didn't have that blatantly sexy edge of Bastien, I still loved him. He was the insidious kind of seduction that winds its way into your senses. If Bastien is a fine, potent wine, then Peter is like a tart, subtle dessert that you think you aren't impressed with at first, but the more you sample it, the more heady its taste becomes. Kind of like sherbet. I am an ice cream girl. Love its richness. But sherbet is something I always enjoy immensely when I eat it. And then I end up craving more.I read this book when I was tired out of my skull, and that's probably not a good time to evaluate a book, so it took me a while to feel his effects. However, I found that I enjoyed the sharp mind of his, the sensuality that he uses so effectively as a tool. I was very intrigued with how fast he fell for Genevieve, and once I thought about it, it made sense. Genevieve was not a woman easily dismissed, like the women in his past. He couldn't kill her or let her be killed. She meant too much to him. Although she was a very annoying woman, he had a way of getting her to do what he wanted, eventually. He kept her on her toes, made her alive with feeling, and killed her with his powerful, heady seduction.
Please forgive me if this review is incoherent. I am highly sleep-deprived right now. Although Cold as Ice just doesn't have the bite of Black Ice, I find that I still loved this book. Peter is in his own way just as irresistible as Bastien. His difference has an appeal of its own. Genevieve keeps things lively, and the plot moving, with her tendency to make stupid moves, and her complete inability to resist Peter. But who can blame her for the tendency to succumb to Peter?
Anne Stuart is an author who manages to keep me reading and never fails to lure me into her seductive web of dark romance and passion. Her tart humor is always appreciated. And no one writes a hero like this woman. It's rare that I don't enjoy her writing, and this story can't get less than five stars because what I love about her is here on offer. And Peter makes up for any shortcomings I might have seen as far as a villain that was more petulant child than anything else, and too quick a resolution on the suspense. Plus, the reappearance of Bastien and the advent of sexy Takashi O'Brien can definitely sway this reader's positive opinion.
Casting Wish List:
James D'Arcy as Peter Jensen:
Katherine Heigl as Genevieve Spenser:
Peter is the stiletto, deadly and precise
Peter starts out as a bland, gray ghost (as Genevieve calls him). He is deceptively mild-mannered in his role as assistant to billionaire philantropist Harry Van Dorn. Genevieve doesn't think much of him, except that he's annoyingly perceptive. However, that is an important tool in his arsenal: to be anywhere and everywhere, to blend in and do whatever it takes to get the job done.
On the second reread, it still took me a while to get a fix on Peter. He is so in the bland character that I underestimated him. Before I knew it, he had slipped under my skin. I can see why he drives Genevieve crazy. He is designed to be a woman's fatal flaw. I had to wonder how someone so bland could use sex as a weapon, but that was before he showed who he really was. The real man could probably seduce the panties off the most virtuous of nuns. The real man, well he's someone that is not to be underestimated.
Genevieve is a frustrating heroine. For a smart girl, she can make some stupid decisions. It's like she's almost all id. Her emotions seem to govern her intellect, which makes her an interesting counterpart to Peter, who analyzes and calculates every decision, until his well-buried heart makes its desires known. Still, his sharp mind maintains admirable control of the man.
Frankly, Black Ice is a hard act to follow. Bastien is so striking a ruthless hero, Peter throws you for a loop. However, that's good that he is so different. I found that although he didn't have that blatantly sexy edge of Bastien, I still loved him. He was the insidious kind of seduction that winds its way into your senses. If Bastien is a fine, potent wine, then Peter is like a tart, subtle dessert that you think you aren't impressed with at first, but the more you sample it, the more heady its taste becomes. Kind of like sherbet. I am an ice cream girl. Love its richness. But sherbet is something I always enjoy immensely when I eat it. And then I end up craving more.I read this book when I was tired out of my skull, and that's probably not a good time to evaluate a book, so it took me a while to feel his effects. However, I found that I enjoyed the sharp mind of his, the sensuality that he uses so effectively as a tool. I was very intrigued with how fast he fell for Genevieve, and once I thought about it, it made sense. Genevieve was not a woman easily dismissed, like the women in his past. He couldn't kill her or let her be killed. She meant too much to him. Although she was a very annoying woman, he had a way of getting her to do what he wanted, eventually. He kept her on her toes, made her alive with feeling, and killed her with his powerful, heady seduction.
Please forgive me if this review is incoherent. I am highly sleep-deprived right now. Although Cold as Ice just doesn't have the bite of Black Ice, I find that I still loved this book. Peter is in his own way just as irresistible as Bastien. His difference has an appeal of its own. Genevieve keeps things lively, and the plot moving, with her tendency to make stupid moves, and her complete inability to resist Peter. But who can blame her for the tendency to succumb to Peter?
Anne Stuart is an author who manages to keep me reading and never fails to lure me into her seductive web of dark romance and passion. Her tart humor is always appreciated. And no one writes a hero like this woman. It's rare that I don't enjoy her writing, and this story can't get less than five stars because what I love about her is here on offer. And Peter makes up for any shortcomings I might have seen as far as a villain that was more petulant child than anything else, and too quick a resolution on the suspense. Plus, the reappearance of Bastien and the advent of sexy Takashi O'Brien can definitely sway this reader's positive opinion.
Casting Wish List:
James D'Arcy as Peter Jensen:
Katherine Heigl as Genevieve Spenser:
Peter is the stiletto, deadly and precise
March 4, 2017
I had to read this series again - and just loved it as much as I did all the other many times.
Anne Stuart's alpha heroes are to die for!!!!! And I love that the heroines are kick-ass and not wilting, whining and helpless females!!!
Black Ice is the 2nd book in Anne Stuart’s Ice Series and I loved reading it as much as I did the previous 4 times It’s another suspense story about the members of the mysterious “Committee, a group of secret cold, jaded, emotionless agents whose only aim is to finish the job they have set out to do including killing the enemies.
I loved Genevieve Spencer, a fast talking, feisty lawyer who just wants to get her job done – board billionaire Harry van Dorn’s yacht in Costa Rica, get him to sign the papers she is carrying and get back to Manhattan as quickly as possible. But this is not going to be as simple as she thinks. She discovers that he’s an evil, sick playboy who decides to use and abuse her and then kill her when he tires of her. Genevieve knows she has to use her wits to keep herself alive – there is nobody on this yacht that can save her.
Peter Jensen is the billionaire’s personal assistance. I felt no interest in him….he was so bland that you almost forget he was there.
But this was just the ploy he used to keep his true identity….an agent sent to destroy Harry van Doorn and his evil empire of which the world had no idea existed. But he kind of grew on me….he’s the usual cold and deadly hero like Bastien Toussaint from the previous book Black Ice, prepared to kill Genevieve as a means to save the operation. He’s really an emotionless man…who uses sex and his body to seduce both men and women as long as he gets the job finished.
The chemistry between the two is great… Chloe is unable to resist Peter…..and he begins to discover that sex with her is so far different from the way he has always used sex in his life.
Bastien Toussaint makes an appearance….yay…and also a new character is introduced….Takashi O’Brien…..which we will get to know in the next book in this series I am sure…..
I love every book that Anne Stuart has written and read them many times and I am never ever bored.
A Short description of the book:
The job was supposed to be dead easy -- hand-deliver some legal papers to billionaire philanthropist Harry Van Dorn's extravagant yacht, get his signature and be done. But Manhattan lawyer Genevieve Spenser soon realizes she's in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that the publicly benevolent playboy has a sick, vicious side. As he tries to make her his plaything for the evening, eager to use and abuse her until he discards her with the rest of his victims, Genevieve must keep her wits if she intends to survive the night.
But there's someone else on the ship who knows the true depths of Van Dorn's evil. Peter Jensen is far more than the unassuming personal assistant he pretends to be -- he's a secret operative who will stop at nothing to ensure Harry's deadly Rule of Seven terror campaign dies with him. But Genevieve's presence has thrown a wrench into his plans, and now he must decide whether to risk his mission to keep her alive, or allow her to become collateral damage . . .
Anne Stuart's alpha heroes are to die for!!!!! And I love that the heroines are kick-ass and not wilting, whining and helpless females!!!
Black Ice is the 2nd book in Anne Stuart’s Ice Series and I loved reading it as much as I did the previous 4 times It’s another suspense story about the members of the mysterious “Committee, a group of secret cold, jaded, emotionless agents whose only aim is to finish the job they have set out to do including killing the enemies.
I loved Genevieve Spencer, a fast talking, feisty lawyer who just wants to get her job done – board billionaire Harry van Dorn’s yacht in Costa Rica, get him to sign the papers she is carrying and get back to Manhattan as quickly as possible. But this is not going to be as simple as she thinks. She discovers that he’s an evil, sick playboy who decides to use and abuse her and then kill her when he tires of her. Genevieve knows she has to use her wits to keep herself alive – there is nobody on this yacht that can save her.
Peter Jensen is the billionaire’s personal assistance. I felt no interest in him….he was so bland that you almost forget he was there.
But this was just the ploy he used to keep his true identity….an agent sent to destroy Harry van Doorn and his evil empire of which the world had no idea existed. But he kind of grew on me….he’s the usual cold and deadly hero like Bastien Toussaint from the previous book Black Ice, prepared to kill Genevieve as a means to save the operation. He’s really an emotionless man…who uses sex and his body to seduce both men and women as long as he gets the job finished.
The chemistry between the two is great… Chloe is unable to resist Peter…..and he begins to discover that sex with her is so far different from the way he has always used sex in his life.
Bastien Toussaint makes an appearance….yay…and also a new character is introduced….Takashi O’Brien…..which we will get to know in the next book in this series I am sure…..
I love every book that Anne Stuart has written and read them many times and I am never ever bored.
A Short description of the book:
The job was supposed to be dead easy -- hand-deliver some legal papers to billionaire philanthropist Harry Van Dorn's extravagant yacht, get his signature and be done. But Manhattan lawyer Genevieve Spenser soon realizes she's in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that the publicly benevolent playboy has a sick, vicious side. As he tries to make her his plaything for the evening, eager to use and abuse her until he discards her with the rest of his victims, Genevieve must keep her wits if she intends to survive the night.
But there's someone else on the ship who knows the true depths of Van Dorn's evil. Peter Jensen is far more than the unassuming personal assistant he pretends to be -- he's a secret operative who will stop at nothing to ensure Harry's deadly Rule of Seven terror campaign dies with him. But Genevieve's presence has thrown a wrench into his plans, and now he must decide whether to risk his mission to keep her alive, or allow her to become collateral damage . . .
November 19, 2015
Cold As Ice is the second book in Anne Stuart's Ice series, and once again she gives us a hero who's arrogant, annoying, an ass without conscience or heart, too sexy to resist and, in a word, perfect! It's a fast paced story, one that, from the first page to the last, I couldn't put down.
From the cover:I have to say, I'm a huge fan of hot, alpha males, but I wasn't sure I could get on-board with these hot gamma males, the kind that let nothing stop them from accomplishing their goal, even if it means offering up the heroine as a sacrifice to do so. But whatever it is about Anne Stuart's stories, I love these guys even as I'm hating them. I want them to die, even as I'm afraid they will. My emotions are always in a state of chaos while reading these books because the very things I do want to happen, I also don't want to see happen. See? Chaos!
The job was supposed to be dead easy--hand-deliver some legal papers to billionaire philanthropist Harry Van Dorn's extravagant yacht, get his signature and be done. But Manhattan lawyer Genevieve Spenser soon realizes she's in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that the publicly benevolent playboy has a sick, vicious side. As he tries to make her his plaything for the evening, eager to use and abuse her until he discards her with the rest of his victims, Genevieve must keep her wits if she intends to survive the night. But there's someone else on the ship who knows the true depths of Van Dorn's evil.
Peter Jensen is far more than the unassuming personal assistant he pretends to be--he's a secret operative who will stop at nothing to ensure Harry's deadly Rule of Seven terror campaign dies with him. But Genevieve's presence has thrown a wrench into his plans, and now he must decide whether to risk his mission to keep her alive, or allow her to become collateral damage....
I won't recap the book blurb, but I will say it's an exciting story. And pretty damned funny, too. There were times I was fanning myself, times I wanted to cry, but there were also times I was laughing and that humor caught me off guard, popping up when I was least expecting it. It helped lighten the mood of the story at times when it was needed, making the villain look like a fool and I loved that!
We met Peter Jensen in Black Ice and though we didn't see much of him, what little we were given had me wanting to get his story. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long. As I said, he's arrogant. He's an ass. He's heartless, ruthless and annoying as all get out - and I adore him!
Genevieve Spenser is equally annoying in a mouthy sort of way, but if you were stuck with Peter for any length of time, you'd get mouthy, too! She's strong, independent, and a totally awesome woman!
So yeah, another terrific installment to the Ice series, and I am soooooo glad I decided to take these books from the shelf, dust 'em off and dig in!
4.5/5 stars because as with the first book, the ending is a bit abrupt.
May 28, 2015
After a lot of epic and high fantasy reads this was actually a great pallet cleanser. Nothing like a romance that begins with the Hero trying to think of reasons not to kill the heroine. Look it isn’t specifically Peter’s fault Genevieve was just in the wrong place at the wrong time but he doesn’t like it because she is really an innocent and he’d rather not have to hurt her.
Genevieve only had one stop to make before her vacation it should be easy. Get Harry Van Dorn to sign some papers and then be on her way off the grid. Harry has some other ideas and tries to waylay Genevieve into staying for some fun times. While Harry is handsome and a billionaire he isn’t what Genevieve even wants to consider playing around with. Meanwhile she isn’t sure why but she feels a slight tub towards Peter who is doing his best to be bland and unobtrusive.
Peter needs to find a way to get rid of Harry and somehow keep Genevieve alive. This goes against everything the agency he works for wants and might cost him something in the long run but what he is feeling for her, well lust or love or whatnot it eventually just will not be denied.
I liked the chemistry between Peter and Genevieve much more than the couple in the prior book. I found Peter easier to like than Bastian as an antihero. He is smooth in a different way and his seduction of Genevieve was steamy.
This story isn’t perfect there are a few things in the plot that got really glossed over and the ending was a bit rushed. I like a little more in my wrap up of a story. Overall it was a good time though. The villain was almost like a bond villain with some added sexual deviance and Peter played a pretty decent hero all tales told.
I do enjoy the antiheroes of this series and look forward to the next installment featuring Takashi.
Genevieve only had one stop to make before her vacation it should be easy. Get Harry Van Dorn to sign some papers and then be on her way off the grid. Harry has some other ideas and tries to waylay Genevieve into staying for some fun times. While Harry is handsome and a billionaire he isn’t what Genevieve even wants to consider playing around with. Meanwhile she isn’t sure why but she feels a slight tub towards Peter who is doing his best to be bland and unobtrusive.
Peter needs to find a way to get rid of Harry and somehow keep Genevieve alive. This goes against everything the agency he works for wants and might cost him something in the long run but what he is feeling for her, well lust or love or whatnot it eventually just will not be denied.
He remembered everything he knew about her, including her sexual history and the things she didn’t like, and he knew she was going to do every one of them and like it. She was going to be on top, and she was going to go down on him, and she was going to tell him she loved him. And he didn’t know what would cost her more.
I liked the chemistry between Peter and Genevieve much more than the couple in the prior book. I found Peter easier to like than Bastian as an antihero. He is smooth in a different way and his seduction of Genevieve was steamy.
This story isn’t perfect there are a few things in the plot that got really glossed over and the ending was a bit rushed. I like a little more in my wrap up of a story. Overall it was a good time though. The villain was almost like a bond villain with some added sexual deviance and Peter played a pretty decent hero all tales told.
I do enjoy the antiheroes of this series and look forward to the next installment featuring Takashi.
January 18, 2022
3.5
I actually liked this better than the first book— nothing like a strong chick lead. Smart and mouthy— she had me chuckling several times out loud.
Yes, I’m totally dating myself here— the interactions of our male and female leads reminded of the chemistry that Michael Douglas had with Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone.
Our leading action hero? Not nearly as swoon-worthy as the first dude (Bastién— still crushing on you) but I liked his chameleon action vibe.
But for a dude with a “heart of ice,” his inner dialogue was a tad whiny. Not exactly the Iceman described over and over again. We get it— he’s a ruthless assassin.
Did it rush its ending and only really tease the bad guy’s “evil” charms— yeah, but it sure had some fun scenes.
This series would make a fun short Netflix series. Now to think about casting... lots of possibilities for an American leggy blonde with glasses and a dark haired, urbane Englishman.
I actually liked this better than the first book— nothing like a strong chick lead. Smart and mouthy— she had me chuckling several times out loud.
Yes, I’m totally dating myself here— the interactions of our male and female leads reminded of the chemistry that Michael Douglas had with Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone.
Our leading action hero? Not nearly as swoon-worthy as the first dude (Bastién— still crushing on you) but I liked his chameleon action vibe.
But for a dude with a “heart of ice,” his inner dialogue was a tad whiny. Not exactly the Iceman described over and over again. We get it— he’s a ruthless assassin.
Did it rush its ending and only really tease the bad guy’s “evil” charms— yeah, but it sure had some fun scenes.
This series would make a fun short Netflix series. Now to think about casting... lots of possibilities for an American leggy blonde with glasses and a dark haired, urbane Englishman.
August 1, 2008
After a little over 4 chapters of this book, I just couldn't read anymore. I knew what to expect of the story going in, having read the first book of the series and reading other people's reviews/comments, but I just couldn't take how cold-blooded and uncaring the beginning of this book was.
The heroine, whose name I can never remember, was on the annoying side. All she did was babble to herself about her clothes and think about how sooner or later, she would sleep with a client to please her bosses. And she's popping tranquilizers like they are candy. Only about a day had passed over the first four chapters and she's taken about 6 of them. I just found nothing redeeming about her.
And Peter...ugh. The only thing he did over the first four chapters was think about the best was to kill whats-her-face to get her out of the way so she didn't cause problems on his mission. Dump her in the water or dump her on the Island? Maybe give her to his associate Renaud - who apparently takes great pleasure in torturing women.
Yeah...and I was supposed to like these people or the story? Umm, no!
So I'm giving up on this book, and the series. I don't mind an Uber Alpha hero, but I prefer they have an actual heart and soul. I know the heroes in this series soften up with the love of a good woman, but the fact that they could act like this at all just doesn't ring my bell. I prefer heroes with an actual soul.
The heroine, whose name I can never remember, was on the annoying side. All she did was babble to herself about her clothes and think about how sooner or later, she would sleep with a client to please her bosses. And she's popping tranquilizers like they are candy. Only about a day had passed over the first four chapters and she's taken about 6 of them. I just found nothing redeeming about her.
And Peter...ugh. The only thing he did over the first four chapters was think about the best was to kill whats-her-face to get her out of the way so she didn't cause problems on his mission. Dump her in the water or dump her on the Island? Maybe give her to his associate Renaud - who apparently takes great pleasure in torturing women.
Yeah...and I was supposed to like these people or the story? Umm, no!
So I'm giving up on this book, and the series. I don't mind an Uber Alpha hero, but I prefer they have an actual heart and soul. I know the heroes in this series soften up with the love of a good woman, but the fact that they could act like this at all just doesn't ring my bell. I prefer heroes with an actual soul.
November 21, 2010
Proof that even the gifted Anne Stuart can have a really, REALLY bad day.
I SO wanted to like this book. So much so that I stubbornly held on to my 3 star desires even though Peter and Genny's relationship became more and more offensive as the story progressed.
Judge for yourselves:
Genny stumbles into a deadly situation she knows nothing about. Peter then chooses to kidnap her rather than kill her immediately - rationalizing that giving her a couple more days of life before he does the deed is honorable. He makes no bones about the fact that he will kill her in the end though (they discuss it often). He assures her he will make it as painless as possible, this should make her feel better. For some deranged reason, he then decides to prove the point that he uses sex only as a weapon of war and proceeds to seduce her, bed her and bring them both to orgasm without batting an eye or raising his heartbeat. This against her will - well, against her mind, her body betrays her and responds (eye roll). He proves his point repeatedly over the two days they are together, she is devastated but somehow realizes she has fallen in love with him... uh, why?
Without giving too much away, let's just say she escapes. He finds her and repeats above performance. This time telling her she is "nothing special" as he does it. Before leaving, he is thoughtful enough to inform her that the sex this time was only a means to get her to do what he wanted her to. She does, but she is so broken up over his indescribable, despicable treatment, it's hard to even read.
I won't even attempt to discuss her myriad stupid decisions such as KNOWINGLY running into a guns-drawn stand off screaming Peter's name. Of course he looks and gets shot to pieces while she wails. Beyond brainless.
So what happens in the end? Months later, after that last "you're nothing special, I just used you to get what I want" go around and without seeing or speaking to each other since, he decides to go home. There he finds the surprise of his life. Her... living in his house, smiling and saying "welcome home, I've been waiting, what took you so long?" The end.
I'm not kidding. It is that bad, that stupid and that ridiculous. The ending should win an award for the absolute worst, pathetic, doormat ending in the history of contemporary romance - bar none. It is also what convinced me that I couldn't in all honesty give this book anything but a 1 star.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2015
5 stars – Romantic Suspense
“Cold As Ice” is another dark, thrilling read in Anne Stuart’s Ice series. It’s got an exciting, fast paced plot, a vicious villain, a strong heroine, and gamma hero Peter might be ‘cold as ice’, but he completely won me over with his wicked wit and innate raw sex appeal. Peter and Genevieve’s relationship was much more believable to me than Bastien and Chloe’s in “Black Ice”, perhaps because Peter’s vulnerability and feelings over Genevieve are more apparent, whereas Bastien kept his well hidden until the very end.
The Ice series is truly unique compared to other books in the romantic suspense genre, and I’ll definitely read the rest of the books in the series. My only complaints are the abrupt endings and lack of epilogue, which is somewhat addressed by the fact that past characters are mentioned in later books, and the author’s insistent negative focus on the heroine’s weight. In both “Black Ice” and “Cold As Ice”, the heroines are considered heavy and carrying about 15 extra pounds at sizes 6 and 8 and it’s mentioned repeatedly throughout the books and by several characters. But both Bastien and Peter seem to love the heroines’ curvaceous figures, so I guess that’s all that matters!
“Cold As Ice” is a first-rate action packed romantic suspense thriller with a deliciously sexy gamma hero...5 stars!
“Cold As Ice” is another dark, thrilling read in Anne Stuart’s Ice series. It’s got an exciting, fast paced plot, a vicious villain, a strong heroine, and gamma hero Peter might be ‘cold as ice’, but he completely won me over with his wicked wit and innate raw sex appeal. Peter and Genevieve’s relationship was much more believable to me than Bastien and Chloe’s in “Black Ice”, perhaps because Peter’s vulnerability and feelings over Genevieve are more apparent, whereas Bastien kept his well hidden until the very end.
The Ice series is truly unique compared to other books in the romantic suspense genre, and I’ll definitely read the rest of the books in the series. My only complaints are the abrupt endings and lack of epilogue, which is somewhat addressed by the fact that past characters are mentioned in later books, and the author’s insistent negative focus on the heroine’s weight. In both “Black Ice” and “Cold As Ice”, the heroines are considered heavy and carrying about 15 extra pounds at sizes 6 and 8 and it’s mentioned repeatedly throughout the books and by several characters. But both Bastien and Peter seem to love the heroines’ curvaceous figures, so I guess that’s all that matters!
“Cold As Ice” is a first-rate action packed romantic suspense thriller with a deliciously sexy gamma hero...5 stars!
October 10, 2016
3.5 STARS. Liked it, didn't love it. A bit too far fetched, which I could have over-looked, but I just didn't feel the love from these characters, and then that ending was a major disappointment.
Still love this author though, and will look forward to reading more of her books.
Still love this author though, and will look forward to reading more of her books.
May 2, 2022
4 Explosive Stars!!
Genevieve is a New York city lawyer who’s in the habit of keeping herself protected as she faces the world. When she meets with billionaire philanthropist Harry Van Dorn on his mega yacht she is a bit peeved, she didn’t want to be there to begin with and hoped she could get Harry to sign the legal papers quickly as possible and be on her way. The longer she spends in his company the more apprehensive she becomes. The last thing she expects is to find herself in the middle of a plot to kill Harry and on his private island without escape. Genevieve thinks she needs to save a drugged Harry and attempt to escape, she truly has no clue just how deprived Harry is, he’s truly evil.
Peter has worked for the Committee for several years he has never failed a mission. Ever. But he has also never met a woman like Genevieve. When she lands herself smack in the middle of his mission he tries everything he can to get her off the yacht. Unfortunately for her she doesn’t leave because of Harry’s wishes, he’s an important client at the Law Firm she works for, so she feels obligated to stay. Now Peter knows what he has to do. Kill her. He can’t bring himself to do it though. And he is finding it harder and harder to deny his attraction to her.
*Originally read 2011
Genevieve is a New York city lawyer who’s in the habit of keeping herself protected as she faces the world. When she meets with billionaire philanthropist Harry Van Dorn on his mega yacht she is a bit peeved, she didn’t want to be there to begin with and hoped she could get Harry to sign the legal papers quickly as possible and be on her way. The longer she spends in his company the more apprehensive she becomes. The last thing she expects is to find herself in the middle of a plot to kill Harry and on his private island without escape. Genevieve thinks she needs to save a drugged Harry and attempt to escape, she truly has no clue just how deprived Harry is, he’s truly evil.
Peter has worked for the Committee for several years he has never failed a mission. Ever. But he has also never met a woman like Genevieve. When she lands herself smack in the middle of his mission he tries everything he can to get her off the yacht. Unfortunately for her she doesn’t leave because of Harry’s wishes, he’s an important client at the Law Firm she works for, so she feels obligated to stay. Now Peter knows what he has to do. Kill her. He can’t bring himself to do it though. And he is finding it harder and harder to deny his attraction to her.
*Originally read 2011
December 1, 2018
AUDIOBOOK
Writing: I like the way Anne Stuart writes. She is gifted.
Characters: Peter was too cold and accepting of death. Genevieve was too shallow and STUPID!
Storyline: I had issues with the insufficient amount of romance in book 1. This had even less. Peter was constantly thinking what was more beneficial – help Genevieve escape or kill her. BUT even if she escaped there was a high possibility that she would be killed, so her choices were death or death.
Then there is Genevieve. What is up with Anne Stuart writing these idiotic heroines? My gosh Genevieve was 24 cents short of a quarter. She lied about her size because a size 8 or 10 is ‘fat.’ She worried about her fashion and the life of a man who abused women and killed them and many other stupid stuff in the face of extreme danger!
However, Anne Stuart has a way of keeping you intrigued and needing to know what happens next. The suspense is on point as well as the action.
Intimacy Scenes: Similar to Bastien, Peter is supposed to be skilled in bringing ultimate pleasure. Due to my minimum investment in these characters, I read these scenes very quickly to get back to the action.
Overall: The action and suspense are what kept me going. I struggled with the heroine’s idiocy, but I overlooked it. I really liked the ending. It was so cute. It was romantic while staying true to the characters personalities.
Writing: I like the way Anne Stuart writes. She is gifted.
Characters: Peter was too cold and accepting of death. Genevieve was too shallow and STUPID!
Storyline: I had issues with the insufficient amount of romance in book 1. This had even less. Peter was constantly thinking what was more beneficial – help Genevieve escape or kill her. BUT even if she escaped there was a high possibility that she would be killed, so her choices were death or death.
Then there is Genevieve. What is up with Anne Stuart writing these idiotic heroines? My gosh Genevieve was 24 cents short of a quarter. She lied about her size because a size 8 or 10 is ‘fat.’ She worried about her fashion and the life of a man who abused women and killed them and many other stupid stuff in the face of extreme danger!
However, Anne Stuart has a way of keeping you intrigued and needing to know what happens next. The suspense is on point as well as the action.
Intimacy Scenes: Similar to Bastien, Peter is supposed to be skilled in bringing ultimate pleasure. Due to my minimum investment in these characters, I read these scenes very quickly to get back to the action.
Overall: The action and suspense are what kept me going. I struggled with the heroine’s idiocy, but I overlooked it. I really liked the ending. It was so cute. It was romantic while staying true to the characters personalities.
July 22, 2008
I liked this book but I do find that Anne Stuart's heroes lean a little too close to gamma for me to really enjoy them. I did like Peter better than Bastian, I especially liked the ending where I could tell that they both wanted to be together. We got to see a little bit of Bastian and Chloe, so we know they are married and just had a baby girl. I enjoyed learning more about them because Black Ice ended so abruptly.
I guess my biggest problem with these books is the constant threat of death to the heroine. I don't like it when the hero is thinking about killing the heroine. I understand the circumstances, but at least in this book Peter goes to lengths to save Genevieve's life. I didn't quite feel like Peter was as caught up in the love scenes as he should have been.
When you pick up an Anne Stuart, you know what you are in for. In that context this was a good book with a lot of action and a hero who is certainly different than the norm.
I guess my biggest problem with these books is the constant threat of death to the heroine. I don't like it when the hero is thinking about killing the heroine. I understand the circumstances, but at least in this book Peter goes to lengths to save Genevieve's life. I didn't quite feel like Peter was as caught up in the love scenes as he should have been.
When you pick up an Anne Stuart, you know what you are in for. In that context this was a good book with a lot of action and a hero who is certainly different than the norm.
January 21, 2014
This series is cracking up to be quite the addictive one! I loved this, it was better than Black Ice and Peter Jensen is one intoxicating man. These books have a very distinct air of mystery to them. You're thinking, yes it is RS, right? Right! But it's different. There was a degree of anxiety present while reading this book as was with black Ice. It's a difficult feeling to explain but it leaves me guessing, anticipating and on the edge of my seat!
Genevieve was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Peter Jensen doesn't like collateral damage of the innocent so he tries everything in his power to protect her. But is it only his duty or is his heart involved? How could it be when it's shrouded in ice? I loved Peter more than Bastien( Black Ice), he was more believable as a man in denial of his growing attraction and feelings towards his captive. Peter was also more relatable as a character. I often felt I couldn't understand Bastien but with Peter I wanted his HEA and wanted him to find salvation.
The bad guy here was an asshole of infinite proportions! He hid behind a facade of beauty and philanthropy. Unfortunately Genevieve didn't see him for who he was until almost too late but then again she wouldn't have been with Peter either if she had. I loved the suspense and the way Anne Stuart gives you bit by bit, never revealing her cards. Nothing is thrown in your face but rather the story unveils subtlety keeping you suspended in anxiety.
The only thing I don't like is the lack of epilogue and abrupt ending. It was the same with Black Ice although we saw Bastien and Chloe here and see they're obviously happy. I liked the way this ended but I wanted more. I wanted to see them months down the road, how they're living...but I've read that we see Peter and Genevieve in the next instalment about Takashi!
These are great books and the RS is wonderful. AS writes her alpha males with a degree of dis attachment, they're cold and brutal with little softness at first glance, but slowly they thaw out revealing men who are in need of love and understanding like anyone else. Loved this and love this series so far!
Genevieve was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Peter Jensen doesn't like collateral damage of the innocent so he tries everything in his power to protect her. But is it only his duty or is his heart involved? How could it be when it's shrouded in ice? I loved Peter more than Bastien( Black Ice), he was more believable as a man in denial of his growing attraction and feelings towards his captive. Peter was also more relatable as a character. I often felt I couldn't understand Bastien but with Peter I wanted his HEA and wanted him to find salvation.
The bad guy here was an asshole of infinite proportions! He hid behind a facade of beauty and philanthropy. Unfortunately Genevieve didn't see him for who he was until almost too late but then again she wouldn't have been with Peter either if she had. I loved the suspense and the way Anne Stuart gives you bit by bit, never revealing her cards. Nothing is thrown in your face but rather the story unveils subtlety keeping you suspended in anxiety.
The only thing I don't like is the lack of epilogue and abrupt ending. It was the same with Black Ice although we saw Bastien and Chloe here and see they're obviously happy. I liked the way this ended but I wanted more. I wanted to see them months down the road, how they're living...but I've read that we see Peter and Genevieve in the next instalment about Takashi!
These are great books and the RS is wonderful. AS writes her alpha males with a degree of dis attachment, they're cold and brutal with little softness at first glance, but slowly they thaw out revealing men who are in need of love and understanding like anyone else. Loved this and love this series so far!
October 17, 2011
I loved Black Ice, but I think I may have loved Cold as Ice even more.
Cold as Ice brings us Peter Jensen. A man who can assume any identity and make it believable. A man who has no home, family, or place in this world. A man who is as cold as ice. A man who uses sex as a weapon, a tool to be used when necessary. He states " Lying is one of the three things I'm best at.....and you know the other two? Killing. And sex." Peter Jensen is one of the most intriguing heroes I've ever read.
Like Black Ice, our heroine Genevieve Spenser is an innocent bystander that happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She is targeted to be killed because she knows to much and is getting in the way of the greater mission. Peter refuses to see her life ended, a direct contradiction to his cold hearted nature, and devises a way to get her to safety.
Peter spends the rest of the book risking everything to assure Genevieve's survival.
I read this book in one sitting. I could not put it down. The banter between Peter and Genevieve is so engaging, Peter's character is so appealing, and the intensity of the attraction between them is beyond steamy:) Peter's past will break even the hardest of hearts, and the epilogue is rich with symbolism and is very satisfying (which isn't always the case with Anne Stuart's books!).
Bastien Toussaint from Black Ice makes an appearance which was fun to see, and the enigmatic Takashi O'Brien is introduced.
I am absolutely hooked on this series and could kiss the ground Ms. Stuart walks on for the hours of pure reading entertainment that she's given me:)
Cold as Ice brings us Peter Jensen. A man who can assume any identity and make it believable. A man who has no home, family, or place in this world. A man who is as cold as ice. A man who uses sex as a weapon, a tool to be used when necessary. He states " Lying is one of the three things I'm best at.....and you know the other two? Killing. And sex." Peter Jensen is one of the most intriguing heroes I've ever read.
Like Black Ice, our heroine Genevieve Spenser is an innocent bystander that happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She is targeted to be killed because she knows to much and is getting in the way of the greater mission. Peter refuses to see her life ended, a direct contradiction to his cold hearted nature, and devises a way to get her to safety.
Peter spends the rest of the book risking everything to assure Genevieve's survival.
I read this book in one sitting. I could not put it down. The banter between Peter and Genevieve is so engaging, Peter's character is so appealing, and the intensity of the attraction between them is beyond steamy:) Peter's past will break even the hardest of hearts, and the epilogue is rich with symbolism and is very satisfying (which isn't always the case with Anne Stuart's books!).
Bastien Toussaint from Black Ice makes an appearance which was fun to see, and the enigmatic Takashi O'Brien is introduced.
I am absolutely hooked on this series and could kiss the ground Ms. Stuart walks on for the hours of pure reading entertainment that she's given me:)
August 29, 2009
I liked this book even better than the first. Chilling, fast-paced, and with a hero to die for, I ate this book up in one sitting. I REALLY like how Stuart's heroes start out as ice-cold killers...and they end as ice-cold killers. They soften toward the heroine, but they don't turn into saps. You know at the end that they will still do what's necessary and not think twice about it. And you know nothing is going to get between them and the woman they love.
Can't wait to read book 3!
Can't wait to read book 3!
August 30, 2014
2.5
I've just realized that I read this and I have no idea when. At first, it just sounded familiar, but after a couple of chapters I remembered. I liked the first book in this series. This one is a bit different because the hero is not a bastard as Bastien was. But at least neither of the protagonists were as annoying as Genevieve Spenser.
When you read that a guy is so rich and attractive too many times in the first couple of chapters, it becomes annoying. One of the most infuriating things about the heroine is that she thinks that size 8 (I assume it's US) is fat. The exact word used: fat. When you read that more than once or twice, there is hardly a thing she could do later to contradict her stupidity. My favourite part is when she starts arguing in the middle of a very dangerous situation.
I understand why someone would find a woman who refuses to be pushed around appealing, but as with everything it has to have some limit. Genevieve went beyond that. The constant claims (mostly gleaned from the hero's thoughts) that she is tough and special didn't make me like her more simply because she went overboard with it. You have tough and independent, and you have stupid and exaggerated.
It isn't a bad story though. It uses convenient tropes - from a corrupt team member to a psychopathic megalomaniac. This would have been way better story if the heroine hadn't been this stupid. The suspense is decent, the hero is not bad, Bastien Toussaint makes an appearance and the ending is good. Overall I did like it even if I have weird way of showing it.
I've just realized that I read this and I have no idea when. At first, it just sounded familiar, but after a couple of chapters I remembered. I liked the first book in this series. This one is a bit different because the hero is not a bastard as Bastien was. But at least neither of the protagonists were as annoying as Genevieve Spenser.
When you read that a guy is so rich and attractive too many times in the first couple of chapters, it becomes annoying. One of the most infuriating things about the heroine is that she thinks that size 8 (I assume it's US) is fat. The exact word used: fat. When you read that more than once or twice, there is hardly a thing she could do later to contradict her stupidity. My favourite part is when she starts arguing in the middle of a very dangerous situation.
I understand why someone would find a woman who refuses to be pushed around appealing, but as with everything it has to have some limit. Genevieve went beyond that. The constant claims (mostly gleaned from the hero's thoughts) that she is tough and special didn't make me like her more simply because she went overboard with it. You have tough and independent, and you have stupid and exaggerated.
It isn't a bad story though. It uses convenient tropes - from a corrupt team member to a psychopathic megalomaniac. This would have been way better story if the heroine hadn't been this stupid. The suspense is decent, the hero is not bad, Bastien Toussaint makes an appearance and the ending is good. Overall I did like it even if I have weird way of showing it.
March 16, 2008
This was another winner in Anne Stuart's 'Ice' series. I really enjoyed this one; as usual, it had an interesting plot, a really wacko villain, and the H/H--well, they may have started out slowly, but when they finally came together--they sizzled! The hero was probably the most stubborn man I've ever read about when it came to love. He refused to believe in it; he felt he didn't need it or want it. It took a mouthy lawyer heroine to sneak inside his icy cold heart. There were a couple of very emotional moments in this one that had me tearing up, and I really enjoyed the ending--except--I wanted more! I'm looking forward to reading the next in this series!
August 7, 2012
Very good for tension and suspense. Problems were heroine stupidity and not as much romance as one expects for this genre.
Book 1 in the series was very good. This is book 2, not as good. I liked the set up and the characters. Billionaire Harry plans to upset financial markets by causing disasters like blowing up mines and oil fields. Peter is an agent for the Committee. He is undercover as an assistant to Harry. Peter is assigned to kill Harry. Genevieve is a New York attorney who arrives on Harry’s yacht with papers for him to sign. Harry decides to keep her overnight, wanting sex. She wants to leave but she has to play nice because he’s a client and he hasn’t signed the papers yet.
The main problem was heroine stupidity. I was so angry I wanted to throw the book. She was near the top of her law school class. Her character is smart. See Spoiler below. Another area was weak. Peter delayed killing a bad guy for no good reason. This delay gave the bad guy time to escape.
Another problem was lack of positive emotional relationship development. There is so little that it’s almost outside the romance genre. Technically it is romance because they are together at the end, but it wasn’t much fun getting there. He keeps telling her she is going to die. He acts like he doesn’t care for her. Even after they get together he lies to her, making her think he doesn’t care. His motive is to keep her angry because she is stronger that way, and more trouble is ahead. Even at the end there are no emotions.
A few times there was too much pondering, especially during the sex scenes.
This was a second read for me. I read it in 2007 and 2012.
CAUTION SPOILER - her stupidity:
1. Peter is helping Genevieve escape. He tells her to stay behind the door while he goes after the bad guy near their car. She hears a gun shot and immediately runs outside looking for Peter. Peter now thinks there are two bad guys because he hears her footsteps. He almost shoots her as she rushes toward him in the dark. She has no weapon or ability to help.
2. Bad guy ties up Genevieve. Bastien (good guy) unties her while Peter chases the bad guy. Genevieve wants to help Peter so she uses a judo-type move to trip Bastien. Then she runs outside with no weapon or ability to help. Peter and bad guy both have guns. Her appearance distracts Peter which allows the bad guy to shoot Peter. Why didn’t she allow Bastien to help Peter? He’s a good guy with a gun. She tripped him to stop him?
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 352 pages. Swearing language: strong, including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 3. Setting: current day Caribbean, California and England. Copyright: 2006. Genre: romantic suspense.
OTHER BOOKS:
I’ve reviewed the following Anne Stuart books. Dates are copyright dates.
Ice Series:
5 stars. Black Ice 2005
3 stars. Cold As Ice 2006
5 stars. Ice Blue 2007
5 stars. Ice Storm 2007
2 stars. Fire and Ice 2008
Rohan Series:
3 stars. The Wicked House of Rohan 2010 (novella)
2 ½ stars. Ruthless 2010
Other:
1 star. Cinderman 1994
2 stars. Night Fall 1995
3 stars. Lord of Danger 1997
1 star. Into the Fire 2003
Book 1 in the series was very good. This is book 2, not as good. I liked the set up and the characters. Billionaire Harry plans to upset financial markets by causing disasters like blowing up mines and oil fields. Peter is an agent for the Committee. He is undercover as an assistant to Harry. Peter is assigned to kill Harry. Genevieve is a New York attorney who arrives on Harry’s yacht with papers for him to sign. Harry decides to keep her overnight, wanting sex. She wants to leave but she has to play nice because he’s a client and he hasn’t signed the papers yet.
The main problem was heroine stupidity. I was so angry I wanted to throw the book. She was near the top of her law school class. Her character is smart. See Spoiler below. Another area was weak. Peter delayed killing a bad guy for no good reason. This delay gave the bad guy time to escape.
Another problem was lack of positive emotional relationship development. There is so little that it’s almost outside the romance genre. Technically it is romance because they are together at the end, but it wasn’t much fun getting there. He keeps telling her she is going to die. He acts like he doesn’t care for her. Even after they get together he lies to her, making her think he doesn’t care. His motive is to keep her angry because she is stronger that way, and more trouble is ahead. Even at the end there are no emotions.
A few times there was too much pondering, especially during the sex scenes.
This was a second read for me. I read it in 2007 and 2012.
CAUTION SPOILER - her stupidity:
1. Peter is helping Genevieve escape. He tells her to stay behind the door while he goes after the bad guy near their car. She hears a gun shot and immediately runs outside looking for Peter. Peter now thinks there are two bad guys because he hears her footsteps. He almost shoots her as she rushes toward him in the dark. She has no weapon or ability to help.
2. Bad guy ties up Genevieve. Bastien (good guy) unties her while Peter chases the bad guy. Genevieve wants to help Peter so she uses a judo-type move to trip Bastien. Then she runs outside with no weapon or ability to help. Peter and bad guy both have guns. Her appearance distracts Peter which allows the bad guy to shoot Peter. Why didn’t she allow Bastien to help Peter? He’s a good guy with a gun. She tripped him to stop him?
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 352 pages. Swearing language: strong, including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 3. Setting: current day Caribbean, California and England. Copyright: 2006. Genre: romantic suspense.
OTHER BOOKS:
I’ve reviewed the following Anne Stuart books. Dates are copyright dates.
Ice Series:
5 stars. Black Ice 2005
3 stars. Cold As Ice 2006
5 stars. Ice Blue 2007
5 stars. Ice Storm 2007
2 stars. Fire and Ice 2008
Rohan Series:
3 stars. The Wicked House of Rohan 2010 (novella)
2 ½ stars. Ruthless 2010
Other:
1 star. Cinderman 1994
2 stars. Night Fall 1995
3 stars. Lord of Danger 1997
1 star. Into the Fire 2003
September 17, 2024
3.5✨ (rounded down for GR)
1.75🌶️
Even when it's not 5 stars, this series is still addicting as HELL.
Including this one, this is the fourth book in the Ice series I've read (yes I know, I've jumped around), and so far they pretty much include all the same elements: a hate-to-love, sometimes downright mean antihero MMC on a dangerous mission in which the ice queen FMC gets caught up in. And this pretty much works every time! I mean, it's Anne Stuart. However, this one fell a tad short in the romance department, for me.
Don't get me wrong, I don't expect long, flowery love declarations from an Anne Stuart hero, but usually by the end I always adore the two characters together and see how their connection could work. I felt that that was missing from the main couple in this one, so by the end I didn't fully believe in the pairing. The ending was also so abrupt, I didn't feel that this couple got a true ending, and the reader got a true sense of what their lives and future could look like.
Otherwise, action was good, and it was a fun read overall. I honestly love this series so much, that even the ones that end up being average, like this one, I still have a great time. Onwards!
Ice series ratings:
(Book 1) Black Ice - 3.5✨
(Book 2) Cold As Ice - 3.5✨
(Book 3) Ice Blue - TBD
(Book 4) Ice Storm - TBD
(Book 5) Fire and Ice - 3✨
(Book 6) On Thin Ice - 4✨
1.75🌶️
Even when it's not 5 stars, this series is still addicting as HELL.
Including this one, this is the fourth book in the Ice series I've read (yes I know, I've jumped around), and so far they pretty much include all the same elements: a hate-to-love, sometimes downright mean antihero MMC on a dangerous mission in which the ice queen FMC gets caught up in. And this pretty much works every time! I mean, it's Anne Stuart. However, this one fell a tad short in the romance department, for me.
Don't get me wrong, I don't expect long, flowery love declarations from an Anne Stuart hero, but usually by the end I always adore the two characters together and see how their connection could work. I felt that that was missing from the main couple in this one, so by the end I didn't fully believe in the pairing. The ending was also so abrupt, I didn't feel that this couple got a true ending, and the reader got a true sense of what their lives and future could look like.
Otherwise, action was good, and it was a fun read overall. I honestly love this series so much, that even the ones that end up being average, like this one, I still have a great time. Onwards!
Ice series ratings:
(Book 1) Black Ice - 3.5✨
(Book 2) Cold As Ice - 3.5✨
(Book 3) Ice Blue - TBD
(Book 4) Ice Storm - TBD
(Book 5) Fire and Ice - 3✨
(Book 6) On Thin Ice - 4✨
May 19, 2017
I read the first book of this series, Black Ice, many years ago and really enjoyed it. The books in this series are very thrilling and action packed, and also comes with a lot of romance between the main characters. This is a perfect kind of cozy mysteries I love to read, but Cold as Ice didn't have same effect on me as the first one. Maybe my taste in books have changed over the years, or maybe it was something else, but even with that, I really enjoyed it! The romance was hot and even the story was really interesting, so overall it was a great contemporary read. I'm definitely going to read this series because sometimes I just need to read something that doesn't involve huge world building, or heavy topics, so this is one of the series which I can just read for fun! <3
June 23, 2010
*guh*
How. In the heck. Did I miss this book back when I was reading the Ice series for the first time?! They must've been out of it when I bought them or something, because I know I would've picked it up if they'd had it.
I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK.
Yes, our hero was the epitome of an Anne Stuart Hero -- jaded, cold, harsh, doing whatever needs to be done, and of course, using his sexuality as a weapon.
But how much did I love Peter anyway? *dreamy sigh* Oh yeah, don't get me wrong, I wanted to throttle the man for a good 75% of the book, but that's half the fun of reading an AS book is the redemption of the arsehole hero ;) There's just something yummy about a man who actually honest-to-goodness considers killing the heroine but just can't quite bring himself to do so despite all the good arguments for doing so...
I was rather fond of Genevieve as well -- she was feisty (and a size 8/10 lol that bit made me happy as well), mouthy, and a romantic at heart.
Being part of a series, it does help if you read the first book in the series before you pick this one up, but I don't really think you'll be lost if you don't -- it's been a long while since I read the first one and I didn't feel as though I was at a disadvantage because of it.
Some readers may find a slight objection to Peter due to some of his past sexual behavior.. As I mentioned, he does whatever is necessary, using sexuality as a weapon, and therefore has done some very unsavory things in his past -- including seducing men and women alike for the sake of a mission -- even doing so before killing said man or woman, if necessary..
So, while there's nothing explicit outside of the smexin between the hero and heroine, some folks might be a bit squicked. Even so, I would still recommend this book because having someone who has, for their whole life, treated sex as just a physical response and something that can be used to better manipulate his targets, and then watching as they begin to discover a sexual relationship that means so much more than any of the relationships in the past... *dreamy sigh* Hot 'n' Tasty.
Solid 5 Stars, but heck, it's Anne Stuart so we kinda knew that going into it :D
How. In the heck. Did I miss this book back when I was reading the Ice series for the first time?! They must've been out of it when I bought them or something, because I know I would've picked it up if they'd had it.
I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK.
Yes, our hero was the epitome of an Anne Stuart Hero -- jaded, cold, harsh, doing whatever needs to be done, and of course, using his sexuality as a weapon.
But how much did I love Peter anyway? *dreamy sigh* Oh yeah, don't get me wrong, I wanted to throttle the man for a good 75% of the book, but that's half the fun of reading an AS book is the redemption of the arsehole hero ;) There's just something yummy about a man who actually honest-to-goodness considers killing the heroine but just can't quite bring himself to do so despite all the good arguments for doing so...
I was rather fond of Genevieve as well -- she was feisty (and a size 8/10 lol that bit made me happy as well), mouthy, and a romantic at heart.
Being part of a series, it does help if you read the first book in the series before you pick this one up, but I don't really think you'll be lost if you don't -- it's been a long while since I read the first one and I didn't feel as though I was at a disadvantage because of it.
Some readers may find a slight objection to Peter due to some of his past sexual behavior.. As I mentioned, he does whatever is necessary, using sexuality as a weapon, and therefore has done some very unsavory things in his past -- including seducing men and women alike for the sake of a mission -- even doing so before killing said man or woman, if necessary..
So, while there's nothing explicit outside of the smexin between the hero and heroine, some folks might be a bit squicked. Even so, I would still recommend this book because having someone who has, for their whole life, treated sex as just a physical response and something that can be used to better manipulate his targets, and then watching as they begin to discover a sexual relationship that means so much more than any of the relationships in the past... *dreamy sigh* Hot 'n' Tasty.
Solid 5 Stars, but heck, it's Anne Stuart so we kinda knew that going into it :D
September 27, 2020
I haven't rated a book 1-star in a long time (ever since I learned to DNF books.) But something this heroine did at the end was so freaking STUPID that I can't in good conscience rate it higher.
Like the heroine from Burn, this woman's preferred pastime is to sass killers. Shooting off your mouth in a dangerous situation is not a sign of "spirit" is a sign of stupidity. If she would have only done it with the hero (who defended her at every turn and found it "cute"), it would have been one thing, but she did it with EVERYBODY and everybody else in this book was a killer. There were like 20 moments where anybody could have gotten tired of her and just shoot her ass. In fact, if I had been a character, I would have emptied a clip on her without thinking it twice. (I fantasized about it several times.)
And the plot made absolutely no sense. Peter, who's supposedly this crackshot agent, has a ridiculous elaborate plan to get rid of the villain but he stops paying attention to his minions once the heroine comes on board. Shocker that it didn't work!! The whole "I'll have to kill her to save the mission" part got old so freaking fast (this is one of those parts where I wished I had been there because I would done it myself) with him saying over and over he was going to kill her..to her FACE!! Given all the threats and the heroine's character, it made NO SENSE WHATSOEVER that she would supposedly fall in love with him!! And the villain was so freaking over the top!! You can tell this book was written pre-50 shades because the villain was kinky.
The only thing I liked was Peter's character and his willingness to do anything for a mission, even sleeping with men (although he said he wasn't bisexual.) At the beginning he was a wolf in sheep's clothing (which is a hero type I love!) but his sheep persona didn't last long. I lost interest in him pretty fast.
I enjoyed the first book so much but it seems the rest of the series will be bad imitations of it so I'm bailing while I'm ahead.
Like the heroine from Burn, this woman's preferred pastime is to sass killers. Shooting off your mouth in a dangerous situation is not a sign of "spirit" is a sign of stupidity. If she would have only done it with the hero (who defended her at every turn and found it "cute"), it would have been one thing, but she did it with EVERYBODY and everybody else in this book was a killer. There were like 20 moments where anybody could have gotten tired of her and just shoot her ass. In fact, if I had been a character, I would have emptied a clip on her without thinking it twice. (I fantasized about it several times.)
And the plot made absolutely no sense. Peter, who's supposedly this crackshot agent, has a ridiculous elaborate plan to get rid of the villain but he stops paying attention to his minions once the heroine comes on board. Shocker that it didn't work!! The whole "I'll have to kill her to save the mission" part got old so freaking fast (this is one of those parts where I wished I had been there because I would done it myself) with him saying over and over he was going to kill her..to her FACE!! Given all the threats and the heroine's character, it made NO SENSE WHATSOEVER that she would supposedly fall in love with him!! And the villain was so freaking over the top!! You can tell this book was written pre-50 shades because the villain was kinky.
The only thing I liked was Peter's character and his willingness to do anything for a mission, even sleeping with men (although he said he wasn't bisexual.) At the beginning he was a wolf in sheep's clothing (which is a hero type I love!) but his sheep persona didn't last long. I lost interest in him pretty fast.
I enjoyed the first book so much but it seems the rest of the series will be bad imitations of it so I'm bailing while I'm ahead.
October 18, 2015
DNF @ approx. 10%.
Yes, I know, this is too early to give up on a novel, but GOD, this book reminds me of why I only stick to Mary Higgins Clark for my romantic suspense needs. The characters are just horrible, especially the heroine. She's so goddamn materialistic, troubled and narcissistic that I wanted to clobber her. Seriously. I knew, even in the first few chapters, that there was no way in hell that I'd like that spoiled, rich bitch. No way am I wasting my precious time on her.
And that's usually my signal for DNF-ing a book. I put a lot of stock on characterisation, and if the characters aren't worth it, then the story isn't worth it. Sorry. I might take this up someday... if I have the time to kill and the patience to consume for annoying leads, but as of now, those are in short supply.
Yes, I know, this is too early to give up on a novel, but GOD, this book reminds me of why I only stick to Mary Higgins Clark for my romantic suspense needs. The characters are just horrible, especially the heroine. She's so goddamn materialistic, troubled and narcissistic that I wanted to clobber her. Seriously. I knew, even in the first few chapters, that there was no way in hell that I'd like that spoiled, rich bitch. No way am I wasting my precious time on her.
And that's usually my signal for DNF-ing a book. I put a lot of stock on characterisation, and if the characters aren't worth it, then the story isn't worth it. Sorry. I might take this up someday... if I have the time to kill and the patience to consume for annoying leads, but as of now, those are in short supply.
February 18, 2013
5+ stars
Anne Stuart delivers another anti-hero to go rabid over!! In 'Black Ice' we got the brutal and blackhearted Bastien Toussaint. Now we're treated to Peter Jensen/Madsen, a sophisticated chameleon who's not afraid to use his innate sexuality to get the job done - no matter how high the price.
From beginning to end,'Cold as Ice' was thrilling, appalling and sexy as hell and I couldn't put it down. This may be the best damn romantic suspense series I've ever read!
Anne Stuart delivers another anti-hero to go rabid over!! In 'Black Ice' we got the brutal and blackhearted Bastien Toussaint. Now we're treated to Peter Jensen/Madsen, a sophisticated chameleon who's not afraid to use his innate sexuality to get the job done - no matter how high the price.
From beginning to end,'Cold as Ice' was thrilling, appalling and sexy as hell and I couldn't put it down. This may be the best damn romantic suspense series I've ever read!
September 10, 2012
I was very unsure about the hero of this one, Peter Jensen. I never disliked him, but I think Ms. Stuart almost did too good of a job making him into a bland, gray character. I read over some other reviews after I finished, and I see that I am not alone. I think I may have still been just a bit overwhelmed with Sebastian and my complete and utter adoration of Black Ice. Though I did learn a new word, which is always fabulous. Though I probably won't ever use the word sangfroid in conversation, I would definitely say that Peter fits the description exactly. He is, above all, cool and composed to the extreme.
And I hate to admit, but I tend to rate an author against herself (or himself, though I do gravitate toward female authors) And if I don't feel the hero, it's hard to really love a book. Sure enough, during the passionate moments, when Peter is trying his hardest to stay emotionally unavailable to Genvieve...that's when his inner turmoil is palpable. And it's what saved him for me. Just like Sebastian knew with Chloe, it's hard to hide yourself when you're intimate with someone.
The villain, Harry Van Dorn, was also sort of bland. He was supposed to do unspeakably evil things to women, but there was never any detail...in fact, he never really DOES anything beyond kidnapping and planning. Though maybe the unspeakable was bad enough it was not to be spoken of. Maybe I should be grateful.
Genvieve is a great match for Peter. She is also cool as a cucumber, though she can't hide her emotions nearly as well as he does. She's also not the type to sit there and cry about her situation...this girl could kick some serious ass! Peter does most of the saving but still...she is a chick to admire.
Overall, this was still good simply because it's different from all other romantic suspense. Even if you can't bring yourself to love the characters, I guarantee you'll have some mixed up emotions and remember these stories.
And I hate to admit, but I tend to rate an author against herself (or himself, though I do gravitate toward female authors) And if I don't feel the hero, it's hard to really love a book. Sure enough, during the passionate moments, when Peter is trying his hardest to stay emotionally unavailable to Genvieve...that's when his inner turmoil is palpable. And it's what saved him for me. Just like Sebastian knew with Chloe, it's hard to hide yourself when you're intimate with someone.
The villain, Harry Van Dorn, was also sort of bland. He was supposed to do unspeakably evil things to women, but there was never any detail...in fact, he never really DOES anything beyond kidnapping and planning. Though maybe the unspeakable was bad enough it was not to be spoken of. Maybe I should be grateful.
Genvieve is a great match for Peter. She is also cool as a cucumber, though she can't hide her emotions nearly as well as he does. She's also not the type to sit there and cry about her situation...this girl could kick some serious ass! Peter does most of the saving but still...she is a chick to admire.
Overall, this was still good simply because it's different from all other romantic suspense. Even if you can't bring yourself to love the characters, I guarantee you'll have some mixed up emotions and remember these stories.
February 4, 2019
Δεύτερη φορά που το διαβάζω και το απόλαυσα και πάλι!
(Η παρακάτω κριτική είναι από την πρώτη φορά που το διάβασα και δε θα την αλλάξω)
*************************************
I am so glad I decided to read this series! It’s not the usual contemporary romance type with the damsel in distress and the alpha male hero who comes to her rescue. Yes, there is a damsel in distress because she was at the wrong place the wrong time but the hero is a cold, harsh and too straightforward assassin and it’s debatable if he has a heart.
When Genevieve Spenser went to hand-deliver some papers billionaire philanthropist Harry Van Dorn she found herself in a great trouble. Peter Jensen was in this job for the last couple of months and he knew it was time to finished it. He had to kill Harry van Dorn. He didn’t expect Genevieve to be there and he knew she would be trouble. This experience changes both of them… forever.
I liked Genevieve because she’s a strong, independent woman. Of course, she broke at the beginning because everything was too much to handle and she took a couple of bad decisions but it was only logical. She was a romantic woman and she was living in a nightmare.
Peter is definitely a force of nature. But a silent one. He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t need to speak in order to be scary. He’s cold and calculating but it’s obvious that this life is taking its toll on him. Although he can’t see it at first, he needs someone like Genevieve to remind him what is good in life.
It was a very good story with very interesting and complicated characters. I was happy to read (although only a tiny scene!) with Chloe and Bastien! If you are a fan of this genre then you must try to read these books!
(Η παρακάτω κριτική είναι από την πρώτη φορά που το διάβασα και δε θα την αλλάξω)
*************************************
I am so glad I decided to read this series! It’s not the usual contemporary romance type with the damsel in distress and the alpha male hero who comes to her rescue. Yes, there is a damsel in distress because she was at the wrong place the wrong time but the hero is a cold, harsh and too straightforward assassin and it’s debatable if he has a heart.
When Genevieve Spenser went to hand-deliver some papers billionaire philanthropist Harry Van Dorn she found herself in a great trouble. Peter Jensen was in this job for the last couple of months and he knew it was time to finished it. He had to kill Harry van Dorn. He didn’t expect Genevieve to be there and he knew she would be trouble. This experience changes both of them… forever.
I liked Genevieve because she’s a strong, independent woman. Of course, she broke at the beginning because everything was too much to handle and she took a couple of bad decisions but it was only logical. She was a romantic woman and she was living in a nightmare.
Peter is definitely a force of nature. But a silent one. He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t need to speak in order to be scary. He’s cold and calculating but it’s obvious that this life is taking its toll on him. Although he can’t see it at first, he needs someone like Genevieve to remind him what is good in life.
It was a very good story with very interesting and complicated characters. I was happy to read (although only a tiny scene!) with Chloe and Bastien! If you are a fan of this genre then you must try to read these books!
Read
August 17, 2020Maybe it's the book, maybe quarantine is making me cranky. Either way I didn't make it more than 25% of the way through this thing.
The heroine, Genevieve Spenser, quickly establishes herself as a rock bottom moron. She is supposedly an up and coming attorney at a prestigious law firm. Having worked in that world, I can tell you that it requires both book smarts and common sense. We don't get much of a chance to see about the book smarts, but the common sense is definitely lacking.
As the story opens, Genevieve is getting ready to go on a 6 week vacation (and she's a lawyer?), but first she needs to stop off at a client's yacht to have him sign some important papers. To go onboard ship, she decides it would be an awesome idea to wear a suit and a pair of designer heels. While I can see packing nice shoes for a shipboard party, I don't know anyone in their right mind who would wear this to climb aboard. I understand the need to look professional, but they do make fancy boat shoes, too.
It doesn't improve from there. When faced with a client who is almost cartoonish in his villainy, Genevieve is not even remotely able to make good decisions. The hero also seems a tad sketchy, but I didn't get far enough into the book to get much of a read on him.
Added into the eyeroll-inducing characters were frequent references to skanky villain activities and allusions to abuse of children, all of which made me want to nope right out of this book.
The heroine, Genevieve Spenser, quickly establishes herself as a rock bottom moron. She is supposedly an up and coming attorney at a prestigious law firm. Having worked in that world, I can tell you that it requires both book smarts and common sense. We don't get much of a chance to see about the book smarts, but the common sense is definitely lacking.
As the story opens, Genevieve is getting ready to go on a 6 week vacation (and she's a lawyer?), but first she needs to stop off at a client's yacht to have him sign some important papers. To go onboard ship, she decides it would be an awesome idea to wear a suit and a pair of designer heels. While I can see packing nice shoes for a shipboard party, I don't know anyone in their right mind who would wear this to climb aboard. I understand the need to look professional, but they do make fancy boat shoes, too.
It doesn't improve from there. When faced with a client who is almost cartoonish in his villainy, Genevieve is not even remotely able to make good decisions. The hero also seems a tad sketchy, but I didn't get far enough into the book to get much of a read on him.
Added into the eyeroll-inducing characters were frequent references to skanky villain activities and allusions to abuse of children, all of which made me want to nope right out of this book.
September 14, 2024
I would’ve given this one star but I was oddly intrigued by the male lead character, Peter Jensen. Had he been paired with a better heroine, this story could have been so much more interesting. Unfortunately, it was a painful read with repetitive dialogue and mindless descriptions that added little value to the story. Most painful was the vapid character, Genevieve, who constantly displayed such stupidity in her actions that it bordered comedy. There was zero reasonable explanation for why a character like Peter would develop feelings for her. Admittedly, I wasn’t crazy about the main character, Chloe, in the previous book, but I at least cared what happened to her enough to stay engaged in the story. The same can’t be said for Genevieve, so it was a struggle to get through this book since my brain wanted to check out before I was half way through. Part of me hoped the heroine would redeem herself but, unfortunately, it got so much worse. I wanted to throw this book across the room when I was finished. Again, this should get one star but the icy Peter Jensen character provided enough intrigue and unpredictability to keep me slightly interested. I also appreciated the cameo by Bastien Toussaint.
January 10, 2015
The heroine was much better than the one in Black Ice ... until the end. What the heck was that nonsense? It was crazy, I'm telling you. Sheeeeeeeiiiiiiitttttt. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. For. Fuck. Sake.
So, anyway, I would have given it four stars, but I had to take a star away from it for Stuart making the heroine lose every ounce of common sense and intellect she'd supposedly had.
The endings of these books are a little abrupt. We do get to check in with the earlier couple so we know that he hasn't walked away yet, but I'm a reader who likes an epilogue. My personal preference, so take it with a grain of salt.
Will read the next book because I'm interested in the hero but if the heroine is stunningly stupid at any point, that will probably be my last. :(
So, anyway, I would have given it four stars, but I had to take a star away from it for Stuart making the heroine lose every ounce of common sense and intellect she'd supposedly had.
The endings of these books are a little abrupt. We do get to check in with the earlier couple so we know that he hasn't walked away yet, but I'm a reader who likes an epilogue. My personal preference, so take it with a grain of salt.
Will read the next book because I'm interested in the hero but if the heroine is stunningly stupid at any point, that will probably be my last. :(
March 4, 2013
4 STARS
Well that went better than expected.
While I did enjoy Black Ice, I feel like I haven't found my footing in this series and can't seem to get an actual pulse on how I'm supposed to regard the heroes and, yes, even the heroines. With this book, I've somehow finally gotten Anne Stuart's rhythm and what she's trying to tell me.
These books have a certain International Man of Mystery feel to it especially Black Ice with the hot cars, the hero's glittering social calendar and liquid platinum.Cold As Ice felt a little less glamorous and more Tinker. Tailor. Soldier. Spy. than James Bond. Though this book has been equipped with a megalomaniac villain with a certain affinity towards numerology, zodiac signs and spreading worldwide chaos (Yoko Ono is that you?) and a matriarchal head for the Committee so maybe still a bit James Bond.
Peter and Genevieve had good chemistry. I liked that their banter allowed for some humor in the story which was severely lacking in the first book. Though Genevieve could start to grate on your nerves. She really DOES talk a lot.
Either I wasn't paying good attention or there were some plot holes that didn't get resolved: Because I was waiting for that reveal until the very end.
Speaking of endings, I'm beginning to suspect this isn't Anne Stuart's strongest points. She can be funny if she wants to (how the villain dies is hilarious), her sex scenes are VERY steamy but her last 10%'s have a rushed feel to it. I'm not one to long for an epilogue where the H/h are celebrating their fifth child's birthday but I do appreciate an ending that didn't jump two pages after the conflict's resolution.
The books are entertaining enough but I can't seem to be emphatic with the H and h. There's a serious lack in the emotional manipulation department on these 2 books.
All in all a smoother reading experience than the first and so much looking forward to the third where the hero is half-Japanese, half-Irish #omnom.
Well that went better than expected.
While I did enjoy Black Ice, I feel like I haven't found my footing in this series and can't seem to get an actual pulse on how I'm supposed to regard the heroes and, yes, even the heroines. With this book, I've somehow finally gotten Anne Stuart's rhythm and what she's trying to tell me.
These books have a certain International Man of Mystery feel to it especially Black Ice with the hot cars, the hero's glittering social calendar and liquid platinum.Cold As Ice felt a little less glamorous and more Tinker. Tailor. Soldier. Spy. than James Bond. Though this book has been equipped with a megalomaniac villain with a certain affinity towards numerology, zodiac signs and spreading worldwide chaos (Yoko Ono is that you?) and a matriarchal head for the Committee so maybe still a bit James Bond.
Peter and Genevieve had good chemistry. I liked that their banter allowed for some humor in the story which was severely lacking in the first book. Though Genevieve could start to grate on your nerves. She really DOES talk a lot.
Either I wasn't paying good attention or there were some plot holes that didn't get resolved: Because I was waiting for that reveal until the very end.
Speaking of endings, I'm beginning to suspect this isn't Anne Stuart's strongest points. She can be funny if she wants to (how the villain dies is hilarious), her sex scenes are VERY steamy but her last 10%'s have a rushed feel to it. I'm not one to long for an epilogue where the H/h are celebrating their fifth child's birthday but I do appreciate an ending that didn't jump two pages after the conflict's resolution.
The books are entertaining enough but I can't seem to be emphatic with the H and h. There's a serious lack in the emotional manipulation department on these 2 books.
All in all a smoother reading experience than the first and so much looking forward to the third where the hero is half-Japanese, half-Irish #omnom.
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